Refrigerating apparatus



4 s. user-WELLE I 2,411,296 v REFRIGERATING Arum-ms Filed July so, 1943 that the entire high Patented Nov. 19, r

- UNITED "STATES PAT ENTT'OFFICE aamronmrmc APPARATUS Sylvesterf Mr Schweller, Dayton, t

' Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

General Ohio, assignor to corporation of Delaware I Application July 30, 1943, Serial N0.,496,718

My, invention relates to refrigerating apparatus of the type ,employinga hermetically sealed refrigerating :system that cannot, as a practical matter, be serviced on thepremises wherethe refrigerator is installed. I 1 I In such apparatuses, it hasbeen'customary to mount the sealed refrigerating system in the refrigerator cabinet in such a manner that'the entire system can be, removed as a ,unit; and returned to the factory or service centerfor repair.

This practice has not been entirely satisfactory andiin addition has: its disadvantages. 1 It complicatesandincreases the cost of a refrigerator cabinet construction in ,that it necessitates the provisionof an additional sealed opening in a wall structure of, the cabinet through which the evaporatormay be removed In other structures it necessitates some specialconstruction suehas the provision of :grooves' or recesses in the door Jamb, behind a removable doormolding, for the reception of conduits connecting the evaporator to the motor-compressor." In these structures proper sealing of the refrigerated chamber, against heat leakage, is impaired by thebreaking ofthe seal between detachableparts of the cabinet constructionwhen the system is removed and, furthermore, such structures all' limit the size and shape of an evaporator such that it canbe removed as required. i i

I propose to overcome the disadvantages of such present day refrigerators by providing means so placed in a hermetically sealed refrigerating system with respect to the evaporatorthereof pressure side ,of the system including the motor-compressor; condenser and the refrigerant flow In this manner I the return tothefactory orservice center ofthat portion of the system containing all the elements wherein trouble, which causes failureoi' the refrigerating system, usually occurs. By reason of my arrangementrI also eliminate alllimitationsheretofore placed upon the design and size of the evaporator, for, since it is unnecessary to remove" the evaporator, it may be fixed within or built-in to form a permanent partof the refrigerator.

In the drawing t a Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a, refrigerating apparatus having a closed refrigerat ing system ofthe present invention associated therewith; and t t g Fig. 2 is'a view similarto Fig. 1 showing my ZCIaims. (Cl. .62-116) control means may be separated from the evaporator. provide for the removal from the apparatus and.

' my invention, I have shown in chamber 12. close an access opening, formed in the cabinet prises a sealed casin compressor.

invention embodied in apparatus. i

Referring now to the drawingfor illustrating refrigerating apparatus ofthe ice cream or frozen food storagetype. This apparatus comprises acabinet I0 enclosed in netal walls Hand provided with a storage chamber; l2 formed by a metal liner l4. Any, suitable: insulating; material l5 may surround the liner I 4 for insulating the chamber i2, The-cabinet chine compartment lt formed therein adjacent A door or doors l1 may normally top wall, leading to the interiorof chamber l2. The wall of cabinet l0 intermediate chamber I 2 and machine compartment I6 is. providedwith a cavity formed by a two supporting ledges 2| and 22 for a purpose toibe presently described. This cavity may be closed by a removable plate 23 or, a plurality of such removable plates secured to member 18 by screws 24. j V i A closed orhermetically sealed refrigerating system associated with cabinetv'lli includes an evaporator 26, in the formof a conduit coil, secured to and extending, overwalls orthe liner member ll of chamber l2. This evaporatoris fixed or built-in the cabinet I 0 as distingushed froma structurewherein the evaporator can be removed from the cabinet. The evaporator 26 is connectedbyconduits with a refrigerantliquefying and circulating; unit removably located within themachine'compartment; It. The refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit com- 28 housing a conventional motor directly connected to arotary orthe like The unit also comprises a-condenser 29 and a conventional snap acting switch 30 showndiagrammatically. Casing 28 and condenser 29 are mounted upon a base 3| whichremovably supports 'th zse elements within thec'ompartment Hi so as to provide for the removability 'of the refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit as will be hereinafter described. Operation of the motor-compressor within casing 28 cau ses evaporated refrigerant to be withdrawn from evaporator 26 through a. conduit" and circulated intothe casing 28. I The compressor compresses the refrigerantvapor entering thecasing 28 and forwardssame under pressure, througha conduit 34, into the condenser 29. The com- :pressed refrigerant is cooled in any suitable or a conventional manner in condenser 29 and is liquefled. Liquid refrigerant isconveyemby a conhousehold refrigerating Fig. l thereof a llialso has a mabox-like'member l8 having duit 36, from condenser 28 into the lower portion of evaporator 28 for reevaporation therein to therefore remove heat from the storage chamber l2. The motor-compressor within casing 28 may be started and stopped in any well-known or conventional manner such as in response to the pressure in the low pressure side or conduit 33 of the closedrefrigerating system. Thusa M partment l8.

' on member I8 and-communicates with another pipe line 31 communicating with and branching off conduit 33 extends to an expansible and contractable bellows 38 of the switch 38 which controls the electric circuit to the motor and con-* sequently controls operation of themotor-compressor within the casing 28';

In the present refrigerating system there are two valved couplings, of any suitable or conventional construction, interposed in eachof the con-- duits 33 and 36 and these valved couplings. are located in the cavityformed in the insulating wall extending between the chamber l2 andcom- '--The cavity formed by box-like member I8 is filled with any suitable and removable insulating material 38 disposed or packed about the valved couplings." One valved coupling 4| isstationarlly secured tothe support ledge 2| valved coupling 42 which is removably, mounted to the ledge II by bolts or'the like 43'. A valved coupling 44, corresponding'to coupling 4|, is stationarily secured to the support ledge 22 on member l8 and communicates with another valved coupling 46 which is removably mounted to the ledge '22 by bolts or the like-48. It will be noted that in the present refrigerating system the means for controlling the flow of liquid refrigerant into the evaporator 26 is in the form of a restrictor 48 interposed in conduit 36 inadvance of the removable valve coupling '45. Restrictor '48 may be of anyconventional construction and the type having a relatively longcontinuously ,open passage therethrough of small cross'sec- 4 V and 48 respectively. The stems of these valves are rotated, by a key or the like, so as to close all of the valves within the four valved couplings. Thereafter bolts 43 are removed and coupling 42 is detached from coupling 4| and bolts 48 are removed to detach coupling 45 from coupling 44. Then the one portion or. the refrigerant'lique! fyi ngand circulating unit, including valved couplings 42 arid 45, switch 38, base 3|, upon which the motor-compressor casing' 28 and the condenser 28 is mounted, and restrictor 48 of the refrigerating system is separated from evaporator 26 and removed from compartment l6 of cabinet In of the apparatus. By including the restrictor 48 in theremovable portion of the system a source of deposit or of accumulation for contaminating substance maybe returned to the factory with the removable unit where this element can be refrigerating apparatus.

tional area and of spiral or any-other desired v form. Liquid refrigerant passing through restricter 48 expands through the valved couplings "46 and 44 into the evaporator and for'thisv In Fig; 2 I have shown my invention-embodied in 'a'household refrigerating apparatus wherein the unit or machine compartment is below'a food storage chamber and have illustrated the'various similaror corresponding elements of' the apparatus shown in'Fig. lby reference charactershavingsletter -a" affixed thereto. litwlll be noted that in the refrigerating apparatus shown in- Fig. 2, evaporator 26a is of the embossed sheet"metal typeand may be of'anysuitable or-conventional design. "Evaporator .2iia isin accordance with my invention, adapted to be fixed or permanently built-in the" chamber i2a as distinguished from conventional refrigerators wherein the evapo-' -rator may be removably' mounted in-the cooling chamber.

, for thetreason thatadvantages afforded in pracreason it is desired to locate the valved couplings Aland 44 asnear'the .is possible. E

inlet to evaporator 28" as The valved couplings areadapted to divide the closed refrigerating system of the refrigerating apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1 into two portions.

'The one portion or evaporator '28 of the refrigerating-systemis fixed or permanently mounted in the cabinet was a part thereof while the other portion or the refrigerant liquefylng and circulatingunitis adapted to be removable from the apparatus. Thefeatureof including the refrigerant flow controldevice or restrictor 48 in-the removable portion of therefrigerating systemis important 6 for reasons .herelnabove' pointed out i and which will now be'described morein detail.

Shouldthe refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit become inoperative, due to damage internally,0f;the sealed casing 28, this unit can be readily. removed from the refrigerating system withoutflosing any appreciable amount of refrigerant fromthesystem and without impairing proper operationof the system when the unit is repaired andreplaced. For example, should it be necessary to replace the refrigerant liquefying andcirculating unit, plate or plates 23 are removed and enough of the loose insulation 39 taken .out of the cavity, formed by. member |8,'to permit access to the stems 6|, 52, Hand -of valves located inthe valved couplings, 42, 44

ticing the invention permits unlimited possibilities Vin-designs of refrigerating apparatus and particularly household refrigerators; For :example, .many different arrangements -of. interior construction of household refrigeratorswcan be obtained by my.- making the restrictor removable withua separable'and removable portion of the refrigerating system which thus permits, the

evaporator. to be, fixed or permanently built-in a cabinet-as a part of the interior structure of-the cooling compartment thereof. i

. From the foregoing, it willbe seen that I have,

bylocating the refrigerant,'flowpontrol device or restrictorin that portion of-a separable closed or hermetically sealed refrigerating system which is removable from a portion-withinitherefrigerating v-apparatus, provided, an improved apparatus. M n n-tea on y f lita th servicing of installations of;refrigerating apparatus but also eliminates recurrence offailure of elements of therefrigerating sysjtem'associatedtherewith by the fact that a replacement unit is 'factory repaired with'especially designed fixtures which insures thorough cleaning of the parts of the system, which parts cannot be properly cleaned elsewhere with equipment ordinarily carried by a service man, such for example, as at l the point of installation-of'the apparatus. My improvement permits the construction of refri8' erator cabinets to be greatly'simpliiied and manufactured at lower costs while at the same time This modification of the showingof the adaptability-of my invention is. illustrated sociated with the refrigerator cabinets.

such cabinets without complicating or impairing proper servicing of refrigerating systemsas- While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form,

it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimedis as follows:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet having a chamber therein to be cooled; a closed refrigerating system associated with said apparatus, said refrigerating system including an evaporator fixed within said cabinet for cooling said chamber, a refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit connected by conduits with said evaporator and means for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said unit to said evaporator, means interposed in said conduits for closing off each conduit at two adjacent points and for permitting separation of said unit from said evaporator intermediate said points, said unit being removable from said apparatus when said separation is eflected, and said first named means beinginterposed in one of said conduits between said unit and said last named means and being removable along with said unit from said apparatus.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet having a chamber therein to be cooled, a closed refrigerating system associated with said apparatus, said refrigerating system including an evaporator fixed within said cabinet for cooling said chamber, a refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit connected by conduits with said evaporator and a continuously open restrictor for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said unit to said evaporator,

means interposed in said conduits for closing oif each conduit at two adiacentpoints and for permitting separation of said unit from said evaporator intermediate said points, said unit being removable from said apparatus when said separation is effected, and said restrictor being interposed in one of said conduits between said unit and said means and being removable along with said unit from said apparatus.

SYLVESTER M. SCHWEILER. 

